On Political Economists and Modern Political Economy

"On Political Economists and Modern Political Economy" reflects Geoff Harcourt's contribution to economic debate over more than three decades. Included are papers which are recognized as some of the foundations of post-Keynsian economics, analyzing problems set in historical time and starting from "real world" observations. In keeping with the author's sense that the purpose of economics is "to make the world a better place for ordinary men and women" the essays included in the volume are shown to amount to a coherent set of policy proposals. Geoff Harcourt has played a unique role in the development of Cambridge economics over the last thirty years, particularly in the group of economists centred around Joan Robinson. This volume includes intellectual biographies of some of the most prominent members of this group and of other leading unorthodox economists, such as Kenneth Boulding, the late Eric Russell and Lorie Tarshis. It also begins with an autobiographical introduction. This book should be of interest to academics and undergraduates in economics.